TY  - JOUR
AB  - Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of ethical leadership and ethical culture as a safeguard against corruption.Design/methodology/approach– Using survey data from public managers in local authorities in The Netherlands, Serbia, Montenegro and the USA in a comparative study.Findings– The USA and The Netherlands, generally, display higher levels of organizational integrity than Montenegro and Serbia. Second, the strongest effects of ethical leadership were found in Montenegro. Third, in all four countries a rule‐based approach to ethics dominated.Research limitations/implications– It is difficult to determine the extent to which survey participants felt free to express their true opinions. Different social values need to be included as part of any comparative analysis.Practical implications– The role of ethical leadership is crucial; the importance of laws and rules underpinning ethical conduct cannot be underestimated.Originality/value– The paper contributes to the growing interest in comparative studies.
VL  - 23
IS  - 7
SN  - 0951-3558
DO  - 10.1108/09513551011078879
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1108/09513551011078879
AU  - Kolthoff Emile
AU  - Erakovich Rodney
AU  - Lasthuizen Karin
ED  - Alan Lawton
PY  - 2010
Y1  - 2010/01/01
TI  - Comparative analysis of ethical leadership and ethical culture in local government: The USA, The Netherlands, Montenegro and Serbia
T2  - International Journal of Public Sector Management
PB  - Emerald Group Publishing Limited
SP  - 596
EP  - 612
Y2  - 2024/04/19
ER  -